By Seth Budick – http://www.friends4oldlafarmersmarket.org -Cross-posted from NelaList
If you’re like me, you might have had trouble sleeping last week, with images of icicle encrusted citrus dancing in your head. Well so far, it looks like our farmers came out more or less ok, though we’ll know more in the next few weeks as pickers evaluate all the fruit. In the short term at least, there’s certainly no shortage of any of your favorite fruit, so don’t let that stop you from coming down to the market this week.
There’s probably no more humble vegetable at the winter market than broccoli. So ubiquitous that you might look right past it, especially if you’re one of the small, but vocal minority that isn’t enamored of this Italian native. But perhaps those doubters have never tasted broccoli as fresh as what’s available right now at the market from Santiago Farms. If you’ve ever grown it in a backyard garden, you know that the flavor of broccoli, like that of virtually every fresh vegetable, decays rapidly after picking. That’s why garden or farm fresh broccoli has a vitality, a flavor that I think of as “greenness” that disappears virtually overnight after harvest. I don’t need to say it, but this is yet another reason why we’re so lucky to have this market in our collective backyard, because we can enjoy the freshness of just-picked vegetables without that pesky downpayment on our own tractors.
Broccoli is actually cousin to about half the vegetables at the farmers market, being a member of the cabbage family. The resemblance to cauliflower, its paler and more tightly bunched sibling is clear, but broccoli is also related to cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi and collard greens. And like most of those vegetables, broccoli is almost ridiculously good for you; rich in vitamins A, C, E, K, fiber and folate (especially important for pregnant women), and more minerals than you could shake a stick at. As far as cooking goes, broccoli, steamed or sauteed, loves garlic of course. It can be easy to get into a rut though with broccoli, so why not try this recipe for an easy (30 min or less) and scrumptious cream of broccoli soup, perfect for a cold weeknight dinner. Just add 1lb (about 2 bunches) of broccoli florets to a pot of 4 cups of vegetable broth (Trader Joe’s has a good one) along with 4 cloves of garlic and a roughly chopped and skinned russet potato. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Puree the vegetables and broth in a blender and add 2 tsp. salt and 1C, in descending order of indulgence, of cream, half & half, or (shudder) milk and warm again. This soup is great the second day, so don’t worry about not finishing it, and thank Mark Bittman for the idea.
The usual winter suspects are all in season, take a look at http://www.friends4oldlafarmersmarket.org for a list, as well as recipes and nutritional information for everything available at the market. As always, if you have a recipe involving market produce that’s so good you’d like to share, please send it to sbudick @ caltech.edu. And if you’re not the greatest cook, that’s alright too as honey pineapple chicken, fresh tamales, roasted corn and potatoes are all available for dinner. And don’t forget about the tempting and delicious fresh breads, cheeses and fruit preserves also available at the market.
Please stop by the market for fresh, field-ripened, high quality produce from local farmers and spend time with your friends, neighbors and other community members.
The Highland Park Certified Farmers Market is located adjacent to the Highland Park Gold Line station at Marmion Way between Ave. 57 & 58 and operates Tuesdays from 3-7PM.